Electrical connecter



- 1,635,832 July 12 1927 w. J. GAG-NON ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Filed 001'.. l, 1925 Patented July 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J'. GAGNON, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TOTHE BEAD CHAIN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF IBRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A. CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTER.

Original application tiled February 29, 1924, Serial No. 695,972. Divided and this application filed October 1, 1925.` Serial No. 59,835.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, and the reference characters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

This application is a division of an application filed by me February 29, 1924, Serial No. 695,972, for electrical connecters.

The principal object ofthe invention is to obtain a more effective engagement between the cooperating contact portions of the connecter.

Other objects will appear in connect-ion with the following description.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is a viewin side elevation of a socket-member of an electrical yconnecter' with .the housing partly broken-away to exposeto View the two contact-sockets which are made in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of a broken-away portion of the plug-member of the connecter, showing in side elevation the two plugs, and illustrating diagrammatically a resistance included in the circuit between the plugs.

Fi 3 is a horizontal section of the socketmember taken on the broken line 3-3 in Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a View in elevation on an enlarged scale of one of the contact-sockets as shown in Fig. 1, showing a modified form of tlierinostatic ring.

Fig. 5 is is a horizontal sect-ion on an enlarged scale taken on the broken line 5 5 in Fig. 4, through one of the contact-plugs inserted in a socket.

Referring to the drawings wherein the inventionis shown in preferred form, I have shown the socket-member, 1, provided with two contact-sockets, 3, and the plug-member, 2, provided with two plugs, 4, although my invention is equally applicable to a single contact-socket, 3, and a single plug, 4.

In the drawings I have shown the invention as applied to an electrical connecter as used for ordinary household devices-such as toasters, coee percolators, .electric flat- 'irons and the like, in which case a plurality of contact-sockets and plugs are employed, the plug-member, 2, being the device to be heated by means of a resistance, 5, included in the circuit between the plugs, 4.

I preferably make the plug in the form of a hollow post, split longitudinally along one side as shown at 6; and form the Wall of the plug of two metals, 7 and 8, of split cylindrical form welded or otherwise secured together, the inner member, 8, having a higher coeflicient of expansion than the outer member, 7, whereby under the action of heat the post tends to expand or increase in diameter. The plug may be made solid if preferred.

In applying my invention to the contactsocket, 3, the socket is split longitudinally as shown at 9, and is enclosed by a thermostatic split ring or band, l0, formed of two thicknesses of metal, 11 and 12,' welded or otherwise secured together, the outer thickness, 11, of metal having a higher coefficient of expansion than the inner thickness, l2.

The ring or band thus tends to contract under the influence of heat, and to thus compress and contract the split socket, 3.

The operation of the device is as follows:

A plug, 4, is inserted in a socket, 3, they being made to approximately t together, and the band or ring, 10, being made to closely surround .the socket, 3.

AWhen the electric current is transmit-ted between the contact-socket, 3, and the contact-plug, 4, if the plug does not lit sufficiently tightly in the socket, the plug socket and socket-enclosing band, 10, become heated, causing the plug to expand, l,rnd the socket to be contracted by the contraction of the band, 10, due to the thermostatic construction of the plug and band.

The split portion of the wall of the lug thus tends to move under the action of eat toward the wall ofthe cooperative contact` socket; and the split portion of the wall of the contact-socket under the action of heat upon the band, 10, tends to move toward the cooperative contact-plug.

Any looseness in the fitting of the plug within the contact-socket is thus automau tically corrected in the operation of the de.- v1ce.

In order to prevent undue or injurious expansion or displacement of the walls of A(it) the contact-socket by careless insertion of a: plug intothe socket, I provide the band, l0, with means for limiting the expansion of the band and thereby limiting the expansion of the socket.

This expansion-limiting means is in the form of a T-shaped tongue, 14, projecting from one edge of the split wall of the band, 10, and occupying a similarly shaped opening, 15, in the wall of the band on the opposite side of the split, with provision for sufficient lost motion to permit limited ex-A pansion of the socket and band.

The head on the tongue, 14, may be otlset in any desired form, whereby by engagement with the opening in the opposite wall of the band, the movement of expansion of the socket is limited for the purpose of this invention.

l/Vhen the socket is employed with a thermostatica'lly expansible plug, as shown in the drawings, the expansion-limiting means make it possible to make the socket suiiiciently yielding to readily receive the plug, and then by preventing further expansion to resist the expansive force of the plug to approximately the same extent as though the socket were not split.

lll do not Wish to be limited to the constructions shown and above described, as, for certain purposes ot the invention,

maltese various changes may be made in the form and arrangement of various parts of the device without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A connecter for electrical conductors including a polygonal contact socket of sheet material, said socket being longitudinally corrugated, and a thcrmostatic element in connection with said socket and tending under the influence of heat to contract the latter.

2. A connecter for electrical conductors including a Contact shell of polygonal cross section, said shell being longitudinally corrugated, and a thermostatic element in connection with said shell and tending under the influence of heat to distort the latter to torce it into Contact with a mating contact clement.

3. A connecter for electrical conductors including af polygonal Contact socket of sheet material, said socket having inwardly convexed sides, and a thermostatic element in connectionwith said socket and tending under the influence of heat to contract the latter.

in testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of September, 1925.

WLLIAM J. GAGNON. 

